Process of treating natural gas.



I. N. KNAPP. PROCESS OF TREATING NATURAL GAS.

APPLIOATION FILED 0015, 1911.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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PROCESS OF TREATING NATURAL GAS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.5, 1911.

1,023,783, Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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PROCESS OF TREATING NATURAL GAS Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 5, 1911. Serial'No. 652,945.

State of Pennsylvama, have invented a certain new and useful Process ofTreating Natural Gas, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention is to make acetylene outof natural gas.

In the practice of the invention natural gas which containsapproximately 92% to 97% of methane or marsh gas CH is passed through abed of coke or coal from which air is excluded and which is maintainedat a heat higher than that of ordinary or atmospheric combustion, withthe result that changes occur in the gas in respect to the carboncontained therein by reason of the fact that the marsh gas is convertedinto acetylene (1 1-1 The reaction is represented by the chemicalequation CH,+3C=2C,H

Thus for each thousand cubic feet of marsh gas treated there should'betheoretically obtained two thousand feet of acetylene.

The process may be practised by means of the apparatus illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a view principally invertical section showing a charged furnace adapted for use in thepractice of the process of my invention, and Fig. 2, is a horizontalsection on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, is a similar view on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1, but in Figs. 2 and 3, the charge is not indicated.

The furnace shown consists of a vertical cylindrical boiler plate shell1, supported on legs 2, and lined with refractory brick 3, preferablysuch as are non-conducting electrically when exposed to heat. Suitableopenings in the shell and lining are pro-. vided at which are attachedthe following: charging branches 4:, on which are indicated chargingdevices 5; the gas inlet 6 and gas outlet 7; the bottom 8, designed tobe removed when necessary for repairing or cleaning the furnace; and thecleaning door 9 secured by the cotter bar and screw 10. A tap hole 11 isshown for removal of fused ash or slag. 12, is an insulating packing boxin the top head for the adjustable carbon electrode 13, which may bemoved up or down by hand or mechanically, to meet the working conditionsof the furnace. 14:,

are fixed graphite or v suitable electrodes bedded in the masonry andInsulated and made gas-tight throughthe shell below the gas inlet 6 andabove the hearth 15. 16, is a fixed electrode in the bottom 8. Adeflector in the gas inlet pipe 6 is shown at 17, and an annular space18 is formed by setting the lining brick back to give a free entrance ofthe inflowing gases'to the carbon bed. 19 are the several electric cableconnections of one polarity, and 20 one cable connection of oppos'tepolarity. 21 is a connection to electrode 16 which may be used inconjunction with electrodes 14:, or with 13, as the conditions ofworking may require. 22 is a water seal similar to those in common use,to prevent back flow of gases.

The furnace is charged with coke or other carbonaceous material to apoint somewhat above the gas inlet 6. With this charge may be mixed afluxing material depending on the nature of the ash. The adjustableelectrode 13 is lowered to contact with the charge, the electric currentis switched on, more charge is added and the carbon electrode andelectric current adjusted to a proper working condition for heating thebed of carbon to a temperature higher than that of ordinary oratmospheric combustion. The limit of ordinary or atmospheric combustionas attained in commercial practice isabout 1800 centigrade and withregeneration about 2000 centigrade. By electric heating a temperature offrom 2500 centigrade to 3500 centigrade can be obtained and maintainedand such a temperature is necessary for bringing about the directaddition of carbon to natural gas in accordance with my invention. Thenatural gas is-then admitted under sufiicient pressure to pass throughthe bed of highly heated carbonaceous material at a rate for its propertreatment and the resulting acetylene led off for use or subsequenttreatment. The natural gas so introduced may be pre-heated.

In speaking of the formation of acetylene it is not intended to excludethe formation Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

of like gas, such as ethylene, nor is the use methane o1 marsh of gasescontaining hydro-carbons in the nature of methane or marsh gas excluded.

\Vhat I claim is:

The process of treating natural gas which consists in passing it throughan incandescent bed of carbon from which air is excluded and maintainingthe temperature of the bed above that of the ordinary or atlo mosphel'iccombustion thereof, whereby the agoesnes gas of the natural gas takes oncarbon and is converted into acetylene In testimony whereof K hsvehereunto signed my name.

ISAAC N. KNAPP. Witnesses:

Cmonn K. @AssnL FRANK E. FRENCH.

